Health Consultation Historical Blood Lead Levels in East Chicago, Indiana Neighborhoods Impacted by Lead Smelters U.S. SMELTER AND LEAD REFINERY, INC. EAST CHICAGO, INDIANA EPA FACILITY ID: IND047030226 AUGUST 16, 2018 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Division of Community Health Investigations Atlanta, Georgia 30333 Health Consultation: A Note of Explanation A health consultation is a verbal or written response from ATSDR or ATSDR’s Cooperative Agreement Partners to a specific request for information about health risks related to a specific site, a chemical release, or the presence of hazardous material. In order to prevent or mitigate exposures, a consultation may lead to specific actions, such as restricting use of or replacing water supplies; intensifying environmental sampling; restricting site access; or removing the contaminated material. In addition, consultations may recommend additional public health actions, such as conducting health surveillance activities to evaluate exposure or trends in adverse health outcomes; conducting biological indicators of exposure studies to assess exposure; and providing health education for health care providers and community members. This concludes the health consultation process for this site, unless additional information is obtained by ATSDR or ATSDR’s Cooperative Agreement Partner which, in the Agency’s opinion, indicates a need to revise or append the conclusions previously issued. You May Contact ATSDR Toll Free at 1-800-CDC-INFO or Visit our Home Page at: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov HEALTH CONSULTATION Historical Blood Lead Levels in East Chicago, Indiana Neighborhoods Impacted by Lead Smelters U.S. SMELTER AND LEAD REFINERY, INC. EAST CHICAGO, INDIANA EPA FACILITY ID: IND047030226 Prepared By: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Division of Community Heath Investigations Atlanta, Georgia 30333 Summary The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is investigating and remediating residential properties contaminated by emissions from former industrial facilities within the boundaries of the USS Lead Superfund site (“Site”) in East Chicago, Indiana. The former industrial facilities included lead smelters, lead refineries, and a processing facility that manufactured white lead used in the formulation of lead-based paint. CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) examined the trends and locations of blood lead levels in the residential areas within the Site. We reviewed 11 years (2005-2015) of blood lead test results for young children living in the residential areas within the Site, designated as: Zone 1 (West Calumet Housing Complex, a federally-funded public housing facility); Zone 2 (Calumet neighborhood); and Zone 3 (East Calumet neighborhood), which are located within the City of East Chicago and compared them to the rest of East Chicago (also referred to as “Other East Chicago” within this report. Based on this assessment, the public health agencies have drawn the following conclusions. Conclusions Conclusion 1: The percentage of young children (less than 6 years of age) living in the residential areas of the USS Lead site and across the rest of East Chicago with blood lead levels greater than or equal to (>) 5 µg/dL1 continued to decline between 2005 and 2015. Basis for Conclusion: From 2005 to 2015, the percentage of blood lead tests results that are greater than the current CDC reference level of 5 µg/dL have been gradually declining within each of Calumet neighborhoods, across all of East Chicago, and across all of Indiana. Conclusion 2: The number of blood lead tests for children younger than 6 years of age tested for blood lead across the City of East Chicago declined from 2008 to 2015. This decline has occurred in an area where children are at risk for higher blood lead levels from high soil lead levels and other possible sources of lead exposure. This decline is similar to the overall decline in blood lead testing among children in Indiana as a whole. Basis for Conclusion: The average number of blood lead tests for young children (less than 6 years of age) in all of East Chicago during the 11-year period (2005 to 2015) declined from 2008 through 2014 (Figure 1). A similar decline in the number of tests was also found within the residential areas of the USS Lead site (i.e. West Calumet Housing Complex, Calumet neighborhood, and East Calumet neighborhood). The number of children <6 years old living in East Chicago dropped 3% between 2000 and 2010, according to the US Census data. However, this slight decrease in population does not account for the decline in children tested. After 2011, the number of blood lead tests conducted also declined across the entire state of Indiana (ISDH, 2015). 1 In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its recommendations on children’s blood lead levels. Prior to that, CDC used 10 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) as the “level of concern” to identify children who require case management. A reference level of 5 µg/dL is currently used to evaluate children who have been exposed to lead, based on the 97.5th percentile of the distribution of national blood lead levels in children (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)). 2 Conclusion 3: Young children (less than 6 years of age) living in the West Calumet Housing Complex (WCHC) (Zone 1) had a higher percentage of blood lead levels greater than or equal to (>) 5 µg/dL between 2005 and 2015, compared with other areas of East Chicago (not including Zones 1,2 and 3). Basis for Conclusion: Over the period of 2005-2015, a child living in WCHC (Zone 1) had nearly a three times greater chance of having a blood lead level > 5 µg/dL (Odds Ratio = 2.93), compared to a child living in Other East Chicago (not in Zones 1, 2, or 3). During that time, 27.5% of the blood lead test results were > 5 µg/dL, compared to 11.5% for the remainder of East Chicago. Also during that time 4.4% of the blood lead results were > 10 µg/dL, compared to 1.6% for the remainder of East Chicago. Conclusion 4: Young children living in the Calumet neighborhood (Zone 2) have also experienced a similar higher percentage of blood lead levels > 5 µg/dL as children living in WCHC, compared to the other areas of East Chicago (not including Zones 1,2 and 3). Basis for Conclusion: Over the period of 2005-2015, a child living in the Calumet neighborhood (Zone 2) also had almost a three times greater chance of having a blood lead level > 5 µg/dL (Odds Ratio = 2.86), compared a child living in Other East Chicago (not including Zones 1,2, and 3). During that time, 28.2% of the blood lead tests were > 5 µg/dL, compared to 11.5% for the remainder of East Chicago. Also during that time, 5.7% of the blood lead tests were > 10 µg/dL, compared to 1.6% for the remainder of East Chicago. Conclusion 5: Young children living in the East Calumet neighborhood (Zone 3) had a similar percentage of blood lead levels > 5 µg/dL, but a higher percentage of blood lead levels > 10 µg/dL, compared to other areas of East Chicago (not including Zones 1, 2, and 3). Basis for Conclusion: Over the period of 2005-2015, a child living in the East Calumet neighborhood (Zone 3) had a similar chance of having a blood lead level > 5 µg/dL (odds ratio = 0.94), compared to a child living in Other East Chicago. During that time, 11.3% of the blood lead tests were > 5 µg/dL, compared to 11.5% for the remainder of East Chicago. Also during that time, 3.0% of the blood lead tests were > 10 µg/dL, compared to 1.6% for the remainder of East Chicago. Background and Statement of Issues The U.S. Smelter and Lead Refinery, Inc. (USS Lead) operated on a 79-acre property at 5300 Kennedy Avenue in East Chicago, Indiana as a primary and secondary lead smelting facility beginning in 1906. From 1920 until 1973, USS Lead operated as a primary lead smelter, which involved processing and smelting of the mined ore, followed by refining the lead through an electrolytic process to generate high purity lead casting (EPA, 2012). In 1973, the facility converted to secondary smelting, which includes recovering lead from scrap metal and automobile batteries. Wastes from the smelting operations and on-site surface soils were heavily contaminated with lead and other metals (EPA, 2012). After USS Lead operations ceased in 1985, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) oversaw clean-up efforts by the responsible party. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initially proposed the USS Lead site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1992 when USS Lead’s parent company, Sharon Steel, filed for bankruptcy. However, EPA did not list USS Lead as a Superfund NPL site until 2008. The USS Lead site, as defined under the NPL listing, includes the former industrial facility and the West Calumet, Calumet, and East Calumet residential neighborhoods just to the north of the former facility. Also included within the USS Lead site was another lead smelting and refining facility operated by the former Anaconda Lead Products and International Lead Refining Company (ILRC). ILRC 3 processed lead bullion from its smelter in Tooele, Utah and from the ARASCO smelter in Montana from 1911 until 1968. Anaconda Lead Products operated a process that manufactured white lead for use in paint products. After operations ceased at the ILRC facility in 1968, the City of East Chicago acquired the property and received federal housing funds from U.S.